Metal-joint-opening device

ABSTRACT

A rigid body means defines a slot extending longitudinally thereof for receiving a metal joint. A first cam means is supported by the body means at one side of the slot and defines a continuous cam surface extending longitudinally of the cam means, said surface having portions of different slope disposed at points spaced longitudinally thereof. This first cam means includes a sharp entry edge. A second cam means is supported by the body means in spaced aligned relationship to the first body means and includes a sharp entry edge. The second cam means is mounted on a rotatable shaft having an operating handle secured thereto which is engageable with a retainer pin received in a hole in the body means to limit rotation of the shaft which carries the second cam means.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Carl C. Perkins, Jr.

Prairie Village, Kans. [211 App]. No. 879,357 22] Filed Nov. 24, 1969[45] Patented Dec. 28, 1971 [73] Assignee Butler Manufacturing CompanyGrandview, M0.

[54] METAL-JOINT-OPENING DEVICE 15 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 113/1 K, 29/239, 113/55 [51] Int. Cl BZld 39/00 [50] Fieldof Search 1 13/1 K, 55; 29/239,40l,427;72/l78, 181

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 465,906 12/1891 Weitmyer 113/55 643,334 2/1900 Sagendorph 113/55 1,912,128 5/1933 Deacon et al113/55 2,479,200 8/1949 Birks 113/1 K FOREIGN PATENTS 209,602 1/1957Australia 29/239 Primary Examiner- Richard J. Herbst Attorney-Shoemaker& Mattare ABSTRACT: A rigid body means defines a slot extendinglongitudinally thereof for receiving a metal joint. A first cam means issupported by the body means at one side of the slot and defines acontinuous cam surface extending longitudinally of the cam means, saidsurface having portions of different slope disposed at points spacedlongitudinally thereof. This first cam means includes a sharp entryedge. A second cam means is supported by the body means in spacedaligned relationship to the first body means and includes a sharp entryedge. The second cam means is mounted on a rotatable shaft having anoperating handle secured thereto which is engageable with a retainer pinreceived in a hole in the body means to limit rotation of the shaftwhich carries the second cam means.

PATENTED DEC28 Ian SHEET 1 BF 2 INVENTOR CARL C PERKINS, JR.

ATTURNEY PATENTED 0502 191:

SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG.3.

ATTORNEYs METAL-JOINT-OPENING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thepresent invention relates to a metal-joint-opening device which isparticularly adapted to open a standing metal seam as formed betweenadjacent metal roof panels. Such seams are formed by mechanisms asshown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,120,828, which is adapted to formeither single or double seams.

It is desirable from time to time to repair damaged metal roof panelswhich have been secured to one another by such a standing seam. In orderto do so, it is necessary to open the seam, remove the damaged panel andthen replace it with a new panel.

In the past, such seams have been opened with handtools such as bydriving a wedge along the seam with a hammer, or by cutting the metalout. Such operations require a considerable amount of time, labor andoperators skill and, furthermore, the damage of the flanges in adjacentpanels has usually been so severe that reseaming of a new replacementpanel could not be accomplished in a satisfactory manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, a rigid body means isprovided with an elongated slot extending longitudinally thereof forreceiving a metal joint, such as a roof seam, which is to be opened.Suitable means is provided for moving the body means along a metaljoint. A driving abutment is rigidly secured to the body means andextends laterally thereof, this driving abutment being adapted to beengaged by a hammer so as to enable the body means to be manually drivenalong an associated metal joint. A connecting means in the form of apivotally mounted hook is also provided, this hook being adapted toengage a suitable driving mechanism. The body means can be pulled alonga metal joint by a machine, such as is shown in the aforementioned U.S.patent in a direction opposite to that in which the machine shown in thepatent moves in producing the seam. The device of the present inventionmay also be selfpowered if so desired.

The present invention includes a first elongated cam means supported onthe body means at one side of the slot. This cam means has a sharp entryedge and is provided with a continuous cam surface extendinglongitudinally of the cam means, this cam surface having portions ofdifferent slope disposed at points spaced longitudinally therealong soas to progressively cam a formed metal joint toward an open position asthe device moves along the joint.

A second cam means is provided in spaced aligned relationship to thefirst cam means and includes a sharp entry edge. The second cam means ismounted on a rotatable shaft which has an operating handle for rotatingthe second cam means into position. A retainer pin is received in a holein the body means and is engageable with the handle to limit rotation ofthe shaft on which the second cam means is mounted.

As the device of the present invention is moved along a metal joint, thejoint is progressively cammed toward open position by the first cammeans, and the second cam means then serves to complete the unfoldingand straightening of the metal of the joint. The second cam means entersthe joint only after the first cam means has opened the joint to apredetermined extent.

In actual use, the first cam means may be more readily inserted into ametal joint to be opened, if the first inch or so of the joint isinitially partially manually opened by driving a wedge into the joint.

Initial tests of a model of the device of the present invention haveproved successful with a minimum of adjustment. A metal joint has beencompletely taken apart and then reseamed with no loss in jointefficiency except for some damage to the paint on the joint.Additionally, the device of the present invention works equally wellwhen metal clips used to hold the panels to the roof structure wereincluded in I the seam joints.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a top perspective view of ametal-joint-opening device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective exploded view illustrating the first cammeans of the device and a double-seamed metal joint;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the far end of the structure shown in FIG. I;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 seam whenutilizing a device according t the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawingswherein like reference characters designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, the metal-joint-opening device of thepresent invention includes a body means indicated generally by referencenumeral 10, including a plate 12 defining a top wall portion of the bodymeans and having a cutout portion 14. Plate 12, as well as the remainingcomponents of the body means, is formed of a rigid heavy-duty materialsuch as steel or the like. A pair of plates 16 and 18 define sidewallportions of the body means and extend substantially perpendicular to theplate 12. Plates I6 and I8 are secured to plate 12 by means of suitablefasteners such as Allen head capscrews 20 which are threaded withinsuitable aligned threaded holes provided in plates 12, I6 and 18. Inaddition to these screws, plates 16 and 18 may be welded to plate I2 toprovide a rigid construction.

A pair of bottom plates 30 and 32 are secured to and extend laterallyfrom the lower edges of plates 16 and 18. Plates 30 and 32 are securedin place by means of suitable fasteners such as Allen head capscrews 34extending through aligned threaded holes provided in members 30 and I6and members 32 and 18 respectively. Such an arrangement allows theplates 30 and 32 to be removed, if desired, to facilitate cleaning, etc.

It will be noted, as seen in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, that the side edges ofplates 30 and 32 are spaced apart to define a slot 38 which extendslongitudinally throughout the length of the device for receiving a metaljoint to be opened.

Means is provided for moving the device along ajoint to be opened, thismeans including a driving abutment 40 which is, for example, a sturdypiece of steel having rounded end portions 42 adapted to be engaged by ahammer or the like for driving the body means along a seam. Drivingabutment 40 is rigidly secured to plate 10 as by welding.

A further means for moving the device along a joint includes a pair ofspaced ears 50 in the form of metal plates rigidly secured as by weldingto the upper surface of plate 12. A connecting member 52 has one endthereof received between cars 50 and pivotally connected therewith bymeans of a bolt 54 extending through aligned holes provided in ears 50and member 52 and having a nut 56 threaded on the end thereof. The outerend of member 52 defines a hook portion 58 adapted to receive the end ofa cable or the like indicated by phantom line 60 which in turn may beconnected to any suitable driving mechanism such as a machine shown inthe aforementioned U.S. patent.

Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a typical doubleseam metaljoint] is shown in cross section, it being the objective of the presentinvention to open up such a formed metal Joint. Also shown in FIG. 2 isthe first cam means 70 of the present invention which is secured to andextends upwardly from plate 30.

Cam means 70 includes a sharp entry edge 72 which extends substantiallyperpendicular to the upper surface of plate 30 and which facilitatesentry of the cam means into a joint to be opened. The base portion ofthe cam means adjacent the upper surface of plate 30 flares laterallyoutwardly along a line 74 to a point 76 so that this portion of the basepart of the cam means is of increasing thickness adjacent the uppersurface of plate 30. The base portion of the cam means remains ofconstant thickness throughout the remainder of the length of the cammeans from point 76 to the opposite end of the cam means.

The cam means defines a cam surface 80 which is continuousextendsthroughout the length of the cam means. This cam surface hasportions of different slope disposed at spaced points longitudinallytherealong, the surface continuously changing slope in a longitudinaldirection at a rate of approximately 15 change in slope for each inch oflength of the cam means whereby the slope of cam surface 80 is adaptedto change through an angle of approximately 180 in 12 inches of lengthof the cam means. The slope of cam surface 80 changes from anapproximately vertical position at entry edge 72 to a 45 angle at point76. The slope of the cam surface continues to change until it reaches apoint 82 wherein the slope has changed from approximately at entry edge72 to 45 at point 76 to approximately 180 at point 82.

Cam means 70 is provided with a cutout portion 84 at the far end thereofas seen in FIG. 2, and a pair of cylindrical holes 86 and 88 extendthrough the cam means for a purpose hereinafter described.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, and 6, the second cam means comprises arelatively thin platelike member 100 having a sharp entry edge 102 whichis filed to provide a knife edge to facilitate entry of this second cammeans into a metal joint. The second cam means includes a sloping uppersurface 104 for moving portions of the metal joint into a desiredposition.

Cam member 100 is fixed to the outer end of a shaft 110 which isrotatably journaled within the aforementioned hole 86 extending throughcam means 70. An operating handle 112 has a threaded end portion whichis threaded into a suitable hole provided in the opposite end of shaft110 for securing the operating handle to the shaft. Cam member 100 isaccordingly adapted to be rotated into and out of the operative positionshown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 wherein it is adapted to enter and open ametaljoint.

In order to hold the second cam means in operative position, a retainermember in the form of a cylindrical retainer pin 120 is provided, thisretainer pin being received in the aforementioned hole 88 providedthrough cam means 70.

In the operative position of the second cam means, handle 112 engagesretainer pin 120 to prevent further rotation of handle 112 in aclockwise direction as seen in FIG. 1 under the influence of a metaljoint in engagement with cam member 100.

Retainer pin 120 has a cotter pin 124 extending through a suitable holeprovided therein. A flexible elongated retainer member 126 in the formof a chain has one end thereof secured to cotter pin 124, the oppositeend of chain 126 being fixedly secured as by tack welding at 128 toplate 12 of the body means. Chain 126 will insure that retainer pin 120will remain operatively connected with the body means at all times toprevent loss thereof.

Referring now to FIG. 7, a section is shown through a formed metal jointto be opened. The sharpened entry edge of the first cam means isinitially inserted at the point indicated by reference character 130,whereupon the opening device is moved longitudinally of the joint.

FIG. 8 indicates the condition of the joint after the first cam meanshas moved completely past a point on the joint. At this stage of theoperation, the sharp entry edge of the second cam means enters the jointat the point indicated by reference character 132.

FIG. 9 illustrates the condition of the seam after the second cam meanshas passed a certain point on the seam. It is apparent that the seam hasbeen completely opened whereupon the adjacent panels indicated byreference characters P can be readily separated from one another.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the undersurface of plate 12 of the body meansis provided with slot means including a first portion extendingsubstantially parallel with the slot 38 defined by the body means.Portion 140 of the slot means intersects a further portion 142 of theslot means, portion 142 extending obliquely to portion 140. The portions140 and 142 of the slot means are adapted to receive the upper edgeportion of a seam as it is opened and passes through the body means.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the presentembodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since thescope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than bythe description preceding them, and all changes that fall within themetes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well asconjointly cooperative equivalents, are therefore intended to beembraced by those claims.

What is claimed is:.

l. A metal-joint-opening device comprising a body means defining anelongated slot for receiving a standing folded metal joint, means formoving said body means along said standing metal joint, and cam meanssupported on said body means in said slot at one side thereof, said cammeans having portions of different slope disposed at points spacedlongitudinally thereof so as to progressively cam said metal joint tounfolded open position as the body means and the cam means supportedthereby are moved along the joint.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said cam means includes acontinuous cam surface extending longitudinally of said cam means.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said cam surface has asubstantially constant degree of change of slope thereof throughout thelength of the cam surface.

4. A device as defined in claim I, wherein said cam means has a sharpentry edge to facilitate movement of said cam means into a formed metaljoint.

5. A device as defined in claim 1, including a second separate cam meansdisposed in aligned relationship with respect to said first-mentionedcam means.

6. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said second cam means has asharp entry edge to facilitate entry thereof into a formed metal joint.

7. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said second cam means ismounted on a shaft, said shaft being rotatably supported by said bodymeans, and an operating handle connected to said shaft.

-8. A device as defined in claim 7, including a retainer pin engageablewith said handle to limit rotation of said shaft.

9. A device as defined in claim 8, wherein said body means has a holeformed therein, said hole receiving a portion of said retainer pin.

10. A device as defined in claim 8, including a flexible elongatedretainer member connected with said retainer pin, said retainer memberbeing fixedly attached to said body means.

11. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for moving thebody means includes a driving abutment rigidly attached to said bodymeans and extending therefrom.

12. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for moving saidbody means includes a connecting means interconnected with said bodymeans for connecting the body means to a driving mechanism.

13. A device as defined in claim 12, wherein said connecting meansincludes a hook pivotally attached to said body means.

14. A device as defined in claim I, wherein said body means includes atop wall portion, said top wall portion having a slot means formed inthe undersurface thereof for receiving a portion ofa metaljoint.

15. A device as defined in claim 14, wherein said slot means includes afirst portion extending generally parallel with said first-mentionedslot defined by said body means and also includes a portion extendingobliquely to said first portion of the slot means.

1. A metal-joint-opening device comprising a body means defining anelongated slot for receiving a standing folded metal joint, means formoving said body means along said standing metal joint, and cam meanssupported on said body means in said slot at one side thereof, said cammeans having portions of different slope disposed at points spacedlongitudinally thereof so as to progressively cam said metal joint tounfolded open position as the body means and the cam means supportedthereby are moved along the joint.
 2. A device as defined in claim 1,wherein said cam means includes a continuous cam surface extendinglongitudinally of said cam means.
 3. A device as defined in claim 2,wherein said cam surface has a substantially constant degree of changeof slope thereof throughout the length of the cam surface.
 4. A deviceas defined in claim 1, wherein said cam means has a sharp entry edge tofacilitate movement of said cam means into a formed metal joint.
 5. Adevice as defined in claim 1, including a second separate cam meansdisposed in aligned relationship with respect to said first-mentionedcam means.
 6. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said second cammeans has a sharp entry edge to facilitate entry thereof into a formedmetal joint.
 7. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said second cammeans is mounted on a shaft, said shaft being rotatably supported bysaid body means, and an operating handle connected to said shaft.
 8. Adevice as defined in Claim 7, including a retainer pin engageable withsaid handle to limit rotation of said shaft.
 9. A device as defined inclaim 8, wherein said body means has a hole formed therein, said holereceiving a portion of said retainer pin.
 10. A device as defined inclaim 8, including a flexible elongated retainer member connected withsaid retainer pin, said retainer member being fixedly attached to saidbody means.
 11. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said means formoving the body means includes a driving abutment rigidly attached tosaid body means and extending therefrom.
 12. A device as defined inclaim 1, wherein said means for moving said body means includes aconnecting means interconnected with said body means for connecting thebody means to a driving mechanism.
 13. A device as defined in claim 12,wherein said connecting means includes a hook pivotally attached to saidbody means.
 14. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said body meansincludes a top wall portion, said top wall portion having a slot meansformed in the undersurface thereof for receiving a portion of a metaljoint.
 15. A device as defined in claim 14, wherein said slot meansincludes a first portion extending generally parallel with saidfirst-mentioned slot defined by said body means and also includes aportion extending obliquely to said first portion of the slot means.